UMUC President Appointed to National Commission to Address the Role of Public Universities in a Global Economy

Dr. Susan C. Aldridge was one of 12 university presidents appointed to the Commission on Presidential Leadership and Global Competitiveness

By Kerry O'Neill
(koneill@mghus.com)
|
July 18, 2008

ADELPHI, Md. (July 18, 2008) – UMUC today announced that its president, Dr. Susan C. Aldridge, was appointed to a national commission established by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to address the role of public universities in a global economy. The commission, which consists of 12 AASCU presidents including Dr. Aldridge, was formed in an effort to respond to the challenges of shifting economic realities and an ever-changing global atmosphere.

“I am honored to join so many esteemed colleagues on this important commission,” said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. “The world is changing everyday and it’s essential that we explore how best to equip our students—tomorrow’s leaders—with the right tools and education to thrive in our global, competitive economy.”

Recurrent data suggest that at most educational levels, the performance of American students no longer matches or exceeds other advanced nations. The commission, chaired by Bruce Shepard, former University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Chancellor and President-designate of Western Washington University, will recommend strategies and initiatives to presidents and chancellors nationwide to strengthen their institutions by insuring that graduates are globally competitive.

The Commission’s members include the following university presidents and chancellors: Susan C. Aldridge, University of Maryland University College; Donald Betz, Northeastern State University (Okla.); Robert A. Corrigan, San Francisco State University (Calif.); Helen Giles-Gee, Keene State College (N.H.); Jack Hawkins Jr., Troy University (Ala.); Robert W. Kustra, Boise State University (Idaho); Dorothy Leland, Georgia College & State University; Michael T. Nietzel, Missouri State University; P. Kay Norton, University of Northern Colorado; Denise M. Trauth, Texas State University–San Marcos; Jorge Ivan Velez-Arocho, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez; and Leslie E. Wong, Northern Michigan University.

The Commission on Presidential Leadership and Global Competitiveness will convene its first meeting at AASCU’s Summer Council of Presidents on July 19.